Taliban threaten to kidnap and kill Prince Harry

Well, what does he expect. He's entering a foreign country uninvited with a machine gun in hand.

Maybe they can lure him with some nude women and a pool party

Uninvited? NS, you truly never cease to amaze me with your comments. Absolutely astounding.

The Taliban have their own country, their own religion, their own culture, so sure they have the right to not only defend themselves if they can get Prince Harry Dead or Alive, think what the propaganda machine for the Taliban, Al Qaeda etc...only an idiot would be surprised to know that the Taliban etc..hate the USA, hate the UK, NATO etc..just put yourself in their place. How would Brits like to have the Taliban etc..running hog wild in London?? In Scotland?? Or Americans having the Taliban running around shooting people in Kansas?? So NeverSubmit is right on the money, no matter how much I may hate, dislike the Taliban, etc..it is their country, if it were up to me, just let them all kill themselves, their country let them be, but the second they try any international terrorism, let them drones come blazing in.

USA; NATO are the biggest criminals. As long as Americans keep behaving like they do in a foreign country there will never be peace. Prince Harry the invader should go back to where he belongs. Speaking of terrorism what USA does is state terrorism. They are the biggest terrorists.

Queen Elizabeth’s grandson is in Afghanistan on a four-month tour, based in Camp Bastion in the volatile Helmand province, where he will be on the front line in the NATO-led war against Taliban insurgents.

vs.

British authorities have given few details of Prince Harry’s stint in Afghanistan for security reasons.

Alrighty.

To be honest, announcing that he'd be going was a stupid thing to do in the first place. How many soldiers will be killed due to increased numbers of attacks by the Taliban trying to get Harry?

NATO are the biggest criminals. As long as Americans keep behaving like they do in a foreign country there will never be peace. Prince Harry the invader should go back to where he belongs. Speaking of terrorism what USA does is state terrorism. They are the biggest terrorists.

How so?

Well, what does he expect. He's entering a foreign country uninvited with a machine gun in hand.

He expects nothing, he never made a comment.

How would Brits like to have the Taliban etc..running hog wild in London?? In Scotland?? Or Americans having the Taliban running around shooting people in Kansas??

Does 9/11 or 7/7 spring to your mind at all?

Some stupid comments on this article which worryingly supports the extremists.

Don't they do everything in their power to kill ALL foreign troops? I think it is good that he is doing his duty as a soldier. He is a proper prince - fights for his country, cavorts naked with young lovelies, is a bit of a buffoon.

all as royalty should be.

Talk about grandstanding! The Taliban should put in a bid to perform musical acrobatics at halftime during the next Super Bowl.

SuperLibSep. 11, 2012 - 09:15AM JST Queen Elizabeth's grandson is in Afghanistan on a four-month tour, based in Camp Bastion in the volatile Helmand province, where he will be on the front line in the NATO-led war against Taliban insurgents. vs. British authorities have given few details of Prince Harry's stint in Afghanistan for security reasons. Alrighty.

That, actually, made me a good laugh. :) :) Thank you!

Actually, certain things never cease to amaze. Didn't Taliban in yesterday's article want to befriend the US against Karzai? And now they want to "kidnap and kill Prince Harry". Not together, I hope...

After Prince Harry's antics in Vegas, he gets shipped off to the hot-spot with a press release as to his general location. Fed to the lions?

The world needs to be rid of ALL idiotic and barbaric religious based regimes.. It's an insult to human intelligence... Replace them ALL with a system based on open, fair and democratic 'Humanist' values... Then we may find peace...

I assume they wont let Harry go to the frontlines or partake in a actual shootout. He probably has to wear 3 kevlar vests and stand behind 10 inch bulletproof glass. But IF they do manage to kidnap or kill him, the sh*t will hitteth the fan.

no matter how much I may hate, dislike the Taliban, etc..it is their country, if it were up to me, just let them all kill themselves, their country let them be, but the second they try any international terrorism, let them drones come blazing in.

WOW, I am in absolute awe at this statement. Do the rest of the Afghan people deserve to be killed just because the government thinks it's ok? Do the innocent civilians deserve to die because you think all the people in Afghanistan are the same? Do the people of Afghanistan not have basic human rights????? Do you think Saddam had every right to kill his own countrymen, just because it was his country? What about Al Assad in Syria? Is that ok too? I mean he's the leader right?

Ignorance is bliss apparently...

How would Brits like to have the Taliban etc..running hog wild in London

You clearly don't anything about the Taliban. They were NOT the 9/11 bombers, and they don't engage in terrorism outside their own areas. They want to be left alone.

I say leave them alone. A trillion dollars of our tax money and hundreds of thousands of deaths ain't worth changing the ways of a primitive tribal society millions of miles away from anywhere.

Konsta: That, actually, made me a good laugh. :) :) Thank you!

I was channeling my inner Airplane!.....

Ted Striker: My orders came through. My squadron ships out tomorrow. We're bombing the storage depots at Daiquiri at 1800 hours. We're coming in from the north, below their radar.

Elaine Dickinson: When will you be back?

Ted Striker: I can't tell you that. It's classified.

Queen Elizabeth’s grandson is in Afghanistan on a four-month tour, based in Camp Bastion in the volatile Helmand province, where he will be on the front line in the NATO-led war against Taliban insurgents.

vs.

British authorities have given few details of Prince Harry’s stint in Afghanistan for security reasons.

Alrighty.

My thoughts exactly! LOL

JeffLee: I say leave them alone.

Been there, done that.

Afghan resistance should refuse to submit to the occupiers. The resistance is not guilty of anything more than defending their homeland against foreign invaders and occupiers. The shameless invaders with their lack of even the remotest understanding of the people they are occupying, is an insult to the Afghan people.

Does 9/11 or 7/7 spring to your mind at all?

There were no Afghan people involved in both these incidents. In fact FBI found no link between 9-11 and bin Laden. After 9-11, Taliban demanded evidence which linked bin Laden to 9-11, they were even willing to hand him over to a 3rd party to put him on trial. USA flat out refused.

The list of America´s terrorism and invasion are endless, the biggest extremists are American extremists. They think they can travel half away around the world, bomb some remote village killing children, grand mothers and still think they are welcomed. Are they stupid?

Yep, that would be a catch for the Taliban.

Of course now, the entire British continent will buy busy protecting the prince.

And the point of the gigantic exercise in futilty is......?

mikemcfly78:

" Do the rest of the Afghan people deserve to be killed just because the government thinks it's ok? Do the innocent civilians deserve to die because you think all the people in Afghanistan are the same? Do the people of Afghanistan not have basic human rights????? "

If you want to introduce human rights in Pakistan you´d have to remove the Shariah from the constitution and outlaw radical islam. But nobody is doing that. All that the idiotic Western governments are doing is protecting an islamist government from even more islamist rebels. How long do you want this impossible situation to continue??

"Maybe they can lure him with some nude women and a pool party"

Too funny. And that's why I cut him some slack with that episode. A guy who does military service like everyone else deserves to be able to have a little fun sometimes.

@williB

First off, it was Afghanistan. Second, radicals will never be completely removed from any culture, demograph, or people. Unfortunately, it is part of the human species... The Western governments are protecting an Islamist government yes, however from "even more Islamist rebels" NO. They are being protected from RADICAL Islamists. Islam itself is not the issue; nor is an Islamic State, it's the radicals that misinterperet their Holy book to justify the lack of human rights being afforded to their people. And as far as the the Constitution goes, it can/should be rewritten to suit better the country, however, that probably will not happen for MANY MANY years.

@Yasukuni

A guy who does military service like everyone else deserves to be able to have a little fun sometimes.

No military service in the UK, thank goodness. He's there because he chose to be.

I's a tough situation. My initial reaction is to let them alone to kill one another and do what they want. Freedom in Afghanistan isn't worth another drop of blood or dollar of spending. There is no real end game that justifies the expense. As long as they confine themselves to their own country, c'est la vie. It makes no sense to try nation building in an area that was never a nation.

@elbuda mexicano one could ask oneself the question wether afghanistan is actually the talibans country or that of the other afghans they terrorize , one could ask if the taliban version of islam is the version of islam most musllims adhere to. One could ask oneself a lot of questions really

I can think of nothing that would upset the British people more than the Killing of Prince Harry. Even more so if he is taken prisoner and then killed.

Stop all these nosense comments.... Talibans are cruel and barbaric....yes!! But they are in their own country, not killing people thousands of miles away!! All these wars are for economic reasons nothing more or less!!

US invaded Iraq for oil reserves, now they want natural gases, minerals and rare earth which are in abundance in unexplored Afghanistan!

I can think of nothing that would upset the British people more than the Killing of Prince Harry. Even more so if he is taken prisoner and then killed.

Don't wish Carrot-top any ill, but as a Brit I can think of a gazillion things that would upset me more than the killing of one rich boy playing at soldiers in a foreign country in a war we shouldn't be in in the first place. For instance the deaths of a number of real soldiers (who also shouldn't be there) given the task of watching his back.

@waxman

It shouldn't matter if they are in their own country or not, nonsensically killing people is WRONG! Killing people that have done nothing wrong, is inhumane... As far as nonsense comments, re-read your last sentence,

US invaded Iraq for oil reserves, now they want natural gases, minerals and rare earth which are in abundance in unexplored Afghanistan!

How on earth are these things in abundance if it is unexplored? That makes ZERO sense.

While yes most wars are fought for NATIONAL/FOREIGN INTEREST reasons; typically the economies are not boosted long term by going to war. Have you seen what the economy of the U.S. is doing right now? Not doing well; $16T debt... So by fighting these wars, where is the economic gain in a drawn out conflict?

We can cry about the American economy, just think how the common IRAQI feels after that idiot BUSH not only invaded Iraq, messed it all up, had the gall to fly on to some super transport warship out in San Diego as say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED?? Was this the real mission?? Invade Iraq, mess it all up, get us stuck in there and once in a while also go off to countries like Afghanistan?? Some people here are way, way too thick in the head for their own good. Like CLEO says, she would not be very upset if this rich boy Harry the prince gets captured or killed, may be a very normal feeling for the average Brit, just ask normal Americans if say idiot George Bush decided to play cowboys and indians but using real Iraqis?? Real Taliban fighters?? And we read news that pendejo Jorge Bush got captured?? Tortured?? And finally killed?? How many real Americans would cry for him?? How many would go out and party on the streets of any town USA??

MrMalice, we can ask questions about Afghanistan, Iraq etc..until we are red in the face. Kind of like folk in Teheran or Kabul, etc..asking, geez is the USA really run by Mr.Obama?? Or is the USA really a democracy?? People in the USA could care less what questions are being asked about them, right?? Do you think folk in Pakistan?? Iran?? etc..care what we ask or think about THEIR countries??

Hahaha, set up a trap, with Harry as bait! Then watch the slaughter!

And the Taliban supposedly want to strike a peace deal with the powers that be in Afghanistan. This isn't exactly the best way to get it. Good luck to Harry, and I wish those who are protecting him all the more luck. Hopefully he and they survive unscathed, but when you go overseas to play at war, you take a certain risk.

And the Taliban supposedly want to strike a peace deal with the powers that be in Afghanistan. This isn't exactly the best way to get it.

Of course not. But this war is such an utter disaster that NATO's options have basically run out. The US and allies are preparing to do what the Soviets did: flee.

The people (George Bush et al) who conceived the invasion and then instigated the current civil war are complete, total morons. They should be tried at the international court of justice, although they'd have good grounds for claiming insanity.

I'm with Elbunda. Just think about Afghanistan and Iraq! And Iraq and Afghanistan! And did I mention Iraq? And don't forget about Afghanistan! And Iraq!

(insert point here (optional))

Well said Cleo!

It is the women and children of Afghanistan who are the real victims. The Taliban are a stain on the planet (as are all faith based regimes) and they need to be wiped off it... They are barbaric, dangerous, delusional, self-centered and dictators... The sooner they are gone the better...

To be honest, announcing that he'd be going was a stupid thing to do in the first place. How many soldiers will be killed due to increased numbers of attacks by the Taliban trying to get Harry?

His presence was announced because last time it was meant to be a secret US papers broke the story! The British press kept quiet.

His deployment to AFG was announced to sidetrack the recent news of what happened in the hotel room which I don't think should have made the news. He has a right to be naked in his own hotel room, the person who filmed it and uploaded it was in the wrong. Now he's in AFG and details are being given about all of this and now the lives of many more innocent people are at stake. When will it all end?

@Cleo and Tmarie. The soldiers who work with Harry consider him to be a real soldier.

His presence was announced because last time it was meant to be a secret US papers broke the story!

Hey Aussies, since when were ya guys annexed by the Americans?!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1580111/How-the-Prince-Harry-blackout-was-broken.html

He presence poses dangers for the soldiers with him - pull him out. As a royal he can go back to England and do many fruitful and necessary things like....erm...erm...opening libraries.

Kick ass Captain Wales! You're the man. Your comrades and you will perform difficult duties, but remember why you're are over there. After the stint, you and buddies can R&R in a much more discreet location and tip one up for the grand lady.

He's an Apache gunner, and WILL go on operations. God, you lot lambast royals for being pampered... one actually goes to war and you still lambast him.

sustainablewhalingSep. 11, 2012 - 09:10AM JST

USA; NATO are the biggest criminals. As long as Americans keep behaving like they do in a foreign country there will never be peace. Prince Harry the invader should go back to where he belongs. Speaking of terrorism what USA does is state terrorism. They are the biggest terrorists.

Yes, you are right. This is what you get for following the stupid NATO. You must be the change you want to see. If the US and others keep invading other countries like this they could as well declare world war 3. The problem isn't going to solve itself. Ever tried to put out a fire with a flametrower? Now that's not going to work, is it?

The British Army is a professional volunteer army, no-one is conscripted, no-one is coerced to join the army. Men and women join the armed forces to serve their country, and part of that is knowing that one day you may be called upon to go into combat. Every member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces knows that.

No-one in the UK wants our people out there, we want them home, but like sheep our Government sends them out there at the US's call, to die (sometimes at the hand of US Apaches... see the news this week) for a cause very few believe in.

Harry joined the army, he knows the risks. Yes, by being a high-profile target he may be putting those around him at risk, but considering the risk to anyone in uniform I doubt it's a HUGE increase.

The soldiers who work with Harry consider him to be a real soldier.

He clearly isn't a real soldier. When he was ordered to remain in Britain when the rest of his unit were due to be shipped out to Afghanistan, he threw a hissy fit and threatened to leave the army. His superiors, instead of court-martialing him, backed down and agreed to let him go, despite the risk that posed to other troops around him.

Real soldiers don't demand special treatment.

@Thunderbird2 'I doubt it is a HUGE increase' So it is an increase? Isn't any increase unacceptable when people's lives are at stake?

I bet the Taliban are not successful in this endeavor.

"Well said, Cleo!"

I dunno...

cleo: "I can think of a gadzillion things that would upset me more than the killing of one rich boy playing at soldier"

Pretty callous, cleo, have you no respect for your brave countrymen and women laying their lives on the line for your freedom?

Jimizo, the soldiers in Afghanistan risk death as soon as they go on patrol. Their lives are at stake every day they are out there, whether they are protecting a pampered royal or not.

Harry will be in an armoured and heavily armed, state of the art combat helicopter... his fellow crewman is likely the only member of the forces at an increased risk, no matter how small. For that to come into play, the beardies would need to a) identlfy his helicopter, b) be in the right place at the right time to attack said helicopter, and c) be sure that they can hit said helicopter without the countermeasures deflecting it.

Also remember, his uncle flew ASW Lynx during the Falklands War, so it isn't the first time.

Real soldier or not, lucabrasi, he is out there, doing a job. We might not agree with his attititude, but you can't fault his loyalty to the men and women who are at the sharp end.

@Thunderbird

Surely they'll just increase their attacks on all helicopters. That'd be the logical response.

I don't dispute the man's bravery for a moment, but I don't think the armed forces are the right place for royals any more. Through no particular fault of their own they're little more than tabloid celebrities these days, and that's a good reason to keep them out of the limelight where possible.

Serrano, what are you talking about? Those ordinary soldiers who will be put at increased risk watching his pampered back are among the gazillion other things that take precedence over any concern I might have for the brave young Spare. If it's callous you want, try - by being a high-profile target he may be putting those around him at risk, but considering the risk to anyone in uniform I doubt it's a HUGE increase.

Also neither Vegas Boy nor the real soldiers are in Afghanistan 'laying their lives on the line for my freedom'. They are having their lives laid on the line for them by the stupid poodle promises of Blair. The UK should never have gone into Afghanistan, and having made the mistake of going in we should have pulled out as soon as Blair was out of Number 10.

Cleo, you've misinterpreted what I said... when I said by being a high-profile target he may be putting those around him at risk, but considering the risk to anyone in uniform I doubt it's a HUGE increase. I was NOT being callous or cold. I'm from an army family... you think I want soldiers killed for a royal? I was being pragmatic.

What I meant was that the soldiers are already at a high risk of being killed... watching Harry's back isn't going to increase the danger to them by a massive amount.

When he was out there before he wore the uniform of an infantryman, no identifiable markings. Unless you looked under the helmet of every squaddie out there you wouldn't have even noticed him. The Taliban will kill British soldiers whether they are royal or not... they're callous bastards who have no respect for human life.

Thunderbird, if I misunderstood you I apologise. But if a child of mine were out there, I think I would find 'Having him there isn't going to make it much more dangerous for ordinary soldiers so it's OK' an extremely callous stand to take. If having him there puts even one regular soldier in even a little bit more danger, then it would be better for him not to be there. Every last one of them is someone's son or daughter, and they deserve just as much consideration and respect as the rich boy playing soldiers.

And let's have no illusions about it - for the reasons lucabrasi outlines, Harry is not a real soldier. He can decide to go home any time he wants, and he can be certain that no commanding officer is going to lay himself open to having to explain to Granny or Daddy why Harry had to come home in a box. It simply would not happen.

Cleo, you have to understand that they are ALL in danger out there, all are targets of the Taliban. When a politician visits Camp Bastion, the threat levels are increased, when ANYONE high profile visits the dangers increase. I don't know how to explain it to you without you misunderstanding my point.

None of this is being cold and heartless, like I said, my dad was in the army, he fought and was in danger so I know what it's like to worry that a loved one may never come home. You're preaching to the converted here, Cleo.

@Thunderbird I'm sorry, you are evading the simple question which needs an answer. A yes or no will suffice. Would soldiers be safer ( by any degree ) if he wasn't there? As you mentioned, your father served. Can't you see that any added danger is not acceptable?

you have to understand that they are ALL in danger out there

I understand that. And just as they should be given all that's possible by way of protection - proper armour, efficient, working equipment and a competent command structure - anything that adds, however little, to that danger - photo-op visits by politicians, playboy princes playing at soldiers - should be removed. The small benefit of him being there doing his soldiery things is surely eclipsed by the added danger he poses to those around him.

Best thing would be to bring him home and bring all the other soldiers home, too. Not necessarily in that order.

The Taliban are a stain on the planet (as are all faith based regimes) and they need to be wiped off it... They are barbaric, dangerous, delusional, self-centered and dictators... The sooner they are gone the better...

Are you seriously thinking USA is doing this for human rights? USA used to support them before besides USA´s greatest allies in ME is Saudi and this I do not think is because they think of human rights. Every hijacker was Saudi too btw.Afghanistan is a country with different ethnicities and regions, Pashtun is where Taliban is from, It´s regional. NOt everyone fighting against foreign occupiers are Taliban, there are other groups and just people, mujadiheen who can be traced to the Soviet war. Its more a lose network of locals more than a global network of muslim terrorists. Besides, USA is the greater terrorist. Some regions are against Pashtun dominance too. There are tensions between regions and NATO just makes it worse. NATO can be there for an another 20 years and try to make a profit from the war , secure the pipeline and fossil fuel, oil and fas, pump money into the weapon manufacturers, contractors business.

Have Taliban occupy England. Harry could be resisting, instead he is being an occupier. English colonists have a history of trying to sh@t on other countries. Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, Africa. England´s reason they are in Afghanistan is weak. It is NATO bollox. One gets attacked and everyone gets attacked. US attacked themselves because they are a war mongering nationalist country who wanted to go to war due to geopolitical, natural resource, political reasons. Be better if they kept their terrorism on their turf and respected international law.

cleo: The small benefit of him being there doing his soldiery things is surely eclipsed by the added danger he poses to those around him.

You never really know what the Taliban are planning and what they can do. In the end, it probably comes down to intelligence. If the Taliban aren't able to get any kind of information on his location then capturing him will come down to sheer luck, and the odds of that are so slim it's not any real risk at all. You could even have a situation where the Taliban spend more time and resources trying to find him (unsuccessfully) which results in fewer attacks in other areas. You really never know.

And there is something to be said for someone doing his job regardless of his family position. We often hear that politicians should send their own children to fight wars but when it actually does happen then that criticism gets shelved and replaced with "well now he's a bigger target." Had the Brits said that he can't go because he's just too important to lose the criticism would probably be even louder. In the end everything will probably work out, he will get some experience, he will raise the morale of those serving under him because he went through what they went through, and he will be a more effective leader in the future.

Or, he gets captured and everything goes out the window...heh. You really just don't know but there will be criticism for any decision made either way.

sustainablewhaling: Are you seriously thinking USA is doing this for human rights?

The US is doing it because the opportunity is there to do it. Same with Syria, same with Libya, etc. If the opportunity ever comes to do the same with Saudi Arabia, the US would take it as well. It has less to do with human rights and more to do with liberal democracies, which includes human rights as a cornerstone. That fact is that the conflicts around the world can all be traced to countries that have not evolved into liberal democracies and the sooner they go the better off the planet will be for everyone. The "live and let live" was a nice mantra to use before technology became accessible to nearly everyone, and now the world is waking up and finding that while we sat on our asses those countries didn't form liberal democracies, they simply sought out improvements in their ability to project power as a means to resist the transition to liberal democracy.

In the end, it wouldn't matter if you are hell bent on hating and blaming the West. If we get involved, we are meddling. If we establish relationships and work with these countries then we are helping dictators. If we go the Cuba route and use an embargo then we are just hurting poor people. You can make a case for any action. You just swap them out depending on the country you are talking about for that minute. You'll slam the US for working with Saudi Arabia, and you'd slam us if we actively worked for regime change.

cleo: "The U.K. should never have gone into Afghanistan"

Nor the U.S., right? Leave the Taliban alone to continue collaborating with bin Laden and al-Qaida, right?

If the Taliban aren't able to get any kind of information on his location then capturing him will come down to sheer luck, and the odds of that are so slim it's not any real risk at all. You could even have a situation where the Taliban spend more time and resources trying to find him (unsuccessfully) which results in fewer attacks in other areas. You really never know.

Or they could just blast away haphazardly at anything that might be vaguely Brit, in the hopes of hitting lucky. And getting lots of other Brits - and their Afghan associates/partners/allies - killed in the process as well.

Had the Brits said that he can't go because he's just too important to lose the criticism would probably be even louder.

The point isn't that he's 'too important to lose' - he's only the Spare after all, and there are plenty more waiting in line - but that having him there makes it more dangerous for others. And doing his job 'regardless of his family position'? - well there you have it, his 'family position' is down solely to an accident of birth and has no part to play in a democracy. Do you really think he would have the job he has without Granny and Daddy's connections? How many job interviews do you think he sweated over?

Nor the U.S., right? Leave the Taliban alone to continue collaborating with bin Laden and al-Qaida, right?

Why not? Little Kim (and his Dad before him), is left alone, the Saudis (most of the 9/11 murderers were Saudi, remember?) are left alone, all kinds of petty dictators and unsavory types are left alone. Heck, if they have oil and are willing to sell, the US wants to be bosom buddies with them. And the Taliban are different because why?

(Because Baby Bush thought he could score an easy victory against a bunch of backward tribesmen, is why.)

One gets attacked and everyone gets attacked. US attacked themselves because they are a war mongering nationalist country who wanted to go to war due to geopolitical, natural resource, political reasons. Be better if they kept their terrorism on their turf and respected international law.

But that is just it though, the US did keep their terrorism on their turf, after the soviets left Afghanistan the US completely left as well from the region. That meant they removed their terrorism and respected international law in that region of the world. Are any of those reasons for going to war invalid? Are those reasons any different than the Taliban's?

He clearly isn't a real soldier. When he was ordered to remain in Britain when the rest of his unit were due to be shipped out to Afghanistan, he threw a hissy fit and threatened to leave the army. His superiors, instead of court-martialing him, backed down and agreed to let him go, despite the risk that posed to other troops around him. Real soldiers don't demand special treatment.

But isn't him being ordered to remain in Britain because of his title special treatment? Isn't him demanding to be sent with the rest of his unit really a demand of don't give me special treatment?